Prologue

The former account I made, O (A)Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, (B)until the day in which [a]He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit (C)had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, (D)to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many [b]infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

The Holy Spirit Promised

(E)And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have (F)heard from Me; (G)for John truly baptized with water, (H)but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, (I)“It is not for you to (J)know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. (K)But you shall receive power (L)when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and (M)you shall be [c]witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and (N)Samaria, and to the (O)end of the earth.”

Jesus Ascends to Heaven(P)

(Q)Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, (R)He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them (S)in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, (T)will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 1:2 He ascended into heaven.
  2. Acts 1:3 unmistakable
  3. Acts 1:8 NU My witnesses

(A) Theophilus, I first wrote to you[a] about all that Jesus did and taught from the very first until he was taken up to heaven. But before he was taken up, he gave orders to the apostles he had chosen with the help of the Holy Spirit.

For 40 days after Jesus had suffered and died, he proved in many ways that he had been raised from death. He appeared to his apostles and spoke to them about God's kingdom. (B) While he was still with them, he said:

Don't leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you he has promised to do. (C) John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Is Taken to Heaven

While the apostles were still with Jesus, they asked him, “Lord, are you now going to give Israel its own king again?”[b]

Jesus said to them, “You don't need to know the time of those events that only the Father controls. (D) But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.” (E) After Jesus had said this and while they were watching, he was taken up into a cloud. They could not see him, 10 but as he went up, they kept looking up into the sky.

Suddenly two men dressed in white clothes were standing there beside them. 11 They said, “Why are you men from Galilee standing here and looking up into the sky? Jesus has been taken to heaven. But he will come back in the same way you have seen him go.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1.1 I first wrote to you: The Gospel of Luke.
  2. 1.6 are you now going to give Israel its own king again: Or “Are you now going to rule Israel as its king?”

Coming of the Holy Spirit

When (A)the Day of Pentecost had fully come, (B)they were all [a]with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and (C)it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them [b]divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And (D)they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began (E)to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 2:1 NU together
  2. Acts 2:3 Or tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

(A) On the day of Pentecost[a] all the Lord's followers were together in one place. Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind! It filled the house where they were meeting. Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there. The Holy Spirit took control of everyone, and they began speaking whatever languages the Spirit let them speak.

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Footnotes

  1. 2.1 Pentecost: A Jewish festival that came fifty days after Passover and celebrated the wheat harvest. Jews later celebrated Pentecost as the time when they were given the Law of Moses.